Ombudsman lifts suspension of 72 NFA officials

The Office of the Ombudsman has lifted the six-month preventive suspension it imposed on 72 of 139 officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) in connection with the allegedly anomalous sale of the government's rice buffer stock to favored private traders.

- ELIZABETH MARCELO

In a 23-page order dated May 10, the ombudsman said the primary purpose of a preventive suspension is to preserve documents and pieces of evidence, which may be under the control or custody of the respondents.

Since it has obtained these documents or pieces of evidence from concerned NFA officials, the ombudsman said the continued preventive suspension of respondents "is no longer necessary." "They are ordered reinstated effective April 15," the ombudsman's order read.

Although it was not stated in the order, the reinstatement date also pertained to the date of restitution of the salaries and allowances of suspended NFA officials.

The order was approved on May 13 by Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval on behalf of Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

The office of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was directed to implement the reinstatement order.